Hot pot restaurants are especially popular during the winter season when the city cools down and diners are looking for a nice hot meal. For newcomers to this style of eating, ordering at hot pot restaurants can be a little tricky, as finding the best mixture of meats and vegetables is developed through experience.

So here are nine reputable hot pot restaurants in downtown Beijing for newcomers to start their hot pot journey.

Similar to fondue cooking, hot pot is a style of cuisine in which diners select meats and vegetables and prepare their own communal meal in a large pot filled with a usually spicy broth. Hop pot restaurants are especially popular for large parties as they create a collective cooking and eating experience

Haidilao Hot Pot Restaurant: for free treatments

Haidilao has five branches in Beijing, all which have good reputations among diners. Haidilao provides authentic Sichuan hot pot. All dishes are available in both full and half portions. But what makes dining at Haidilao a pleasant experience is its various free services which make queuing for the dishes a pleasure in itself. At Haidilao all diners are entitled to free ice water, fruit salad, melon seeds, nail care and shoe shining, and they may also play chess or cards while they wait. Another shining point is Haidilao's Lalamian (pulled noodles) performance which features a young boy pulling noodles while dancing.

Hot pot at Longshunyuan is a bit different. It doesn't have as much broth as an ordinary hot pot. Diners may put whatever they like into the drier pot to fry. The combination of bamboo shoots, luncheon meats, broad vermicelli and dried beancurd sticks comes highly recommended. Diners may also choose how spicy they want their meal. Medium-hot alone is enough to numb the mouths of those with a penchant for spice. After dinner, customers are treated to corn porridge.

This nice hot pot buffet restaurant features tasty hot pot broth. Diners can choose from a wide selection of materials complemented with fruits and drinks. The Huge Shark hot pot supermarket charges RMB 41 per person and there is no time limit, diners can eat as long as they like. Location: 1F, Hongyu Building, No.7 Xueyuanlu, HaidianTel: 010-82306566

Koufuju hot pot restaurant: reminiscent of old Beijing

A typical Beijing hot pot restaurant, with independent small pots, Koufuju looks much cleaner than common hot pot restaurants. Its mutton, sugar garlic and seasoning are known as the best three of the hot pot world and have attracted the patronage of many Chinese celebrities. Though the price might be a bit high, its strong old Beijing flavor makes up for it. A good place to dine with friends. Location: No.29 Zhichunlu, HaidianTel: 010-82355888/82356888

Tan fish head hot pot: eaten throughout Sichuan

As the name indicates, the most famous dish here is the fish head hot pot. Slender fish head meat melts in the spicy hot broth. Accompanying the main hot pot course are various Sichuan snacks like Couple's Lungs (cold, spicy pig lungs) and Maoxuewang (blood blocks stew). Location 1: Building 105, Huizhong Beili, Anlilu, ChaoyangTel: 010-64848880

What makes this hot pot restaurant different from others is its broth, made from tomatoes and other ingredients, stewed together for 24 hours. The broth tastes quite sweet, sour and is full of flavor. Beef compliments this broth, and vegetables cooked in it don't need any extra flavoring to taste great.

The wait staff dress in costumes, with the boys wearing shirts reading 'handsome boy' and girls wearing clothes emblazoned with 'hot girl'. It's a great get-together place for young people who like tomatoes.

Fragrant porridge replaces the common broth for cooking various kinds of food. As the porridge broth dries, diners may ask for a free refill. Chansixian's signature dishes are a wide selection of smashed items, including smashed fish meat, smashed shrimp meat and smashed chicken. A nice place for a romantic meeting with that special someone. Location: Building 907, Guanghelu exit, DongerhuanTel: 010-67702288

Taipo Tianfu Shanzhen Jiulou: mushroom hot pot

Taipo Tianfu Shanzhen Jiulou is among the first few restaurants to sell mushroom hot pot. Various fresh mushrooms cooked in nutritious black-bone chicken broth taste quite different. Finished off with a cup of red bitter deer blood tea, the meal is almost perfect except for the dim lighting.Location: Building Jia No.19, southern end of Erqi Juchanglu, FuxingmenwaiTel: 010-68019641